Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: 秦朝; pinyin: Qín Cháo; Wade–Giles: Ch'in Ch'ao; IPA: [tɕʰǐn tʂʰɑ̌ʊ̯]) was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC & AD. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Gansu and Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring States Period. In the mid and late third century BC, the Qin accomplished a series of swift conquests, first ending the powerless Zhou Dynasty, and eventually destroying the remaining six states of the major states to gain control over the whole of China, resulting in a unified China. During its reign over China, the Qin Dynasty achieved increased trade, improved agriculture, and military security. This was due to the abolition of landowning lords, to whom peasants had formerly held allegiance. The central government now had direct control of the masses, giving it access to a much larger workforce. This allowed for the construction of ambitious projects, such as a wall on the northern border, now known as the Great Wall of China. The Qin Dynasty also introduced several reforms: currency, weights and measures were standardized, and a better system of writing was established. An attempt to purge all traces of the old dynasties led to the infamous burning of books and burying of scholars incident, which has been criticized greatly by subsequent scholars. The Qin's military was also revolutionary in that it used the most recently developed weaponry, transportation, and tactics, though the government was heavy-handed and bureaucratic. Despite its military strength, the Qin Dynasty did not last long. When the first emperor died in 210 BC, his son was placed on the throne by two of the previous emperor's advisers, in an attempt to influence and control the administration of the entire dynasty through him. The advisors squabbled among themselves, however, which resulted in both their deaths and that of the second Qin emperor. Popular revolt broke out a few years later, and the weakened empire soon fell to a Chu lieutenant, who went on to found the Han Dynasty.[[|1]] Despite its rapid end, the Qin Dynasty influenced future Chinese empires, particularly the Han, and the European name for China is thought to be derived from it. ContentsEdit [hide] *1 History **1.1 Origins and early development **1.2 Growth of power **1.3 Conquest of other states **1.4 Dominion of China **1.5 Fall from power *2 Culture and society **2.1 Domestic life **2.2 Architecture **2.3 Philosophy and literature **2.4 Government and military **2.5 Religion **2.6 Etymology of China *3 Sovereigns of Qin Dynasty *4 See also *5 Notes *6 References *7 Bibliography *8 Further reading *9 External links |} edit] Historyedit] History section|Edit]] See also: Qin (state) edit] Origins and early development Feizi, a descendant of the ancient political advisor Gao Yao, was granted rule over Qin City.[[|2]] During the rule of King Xiao of Zhou, the eighth king of the Zhou Dynasty, this area became known as the state of Qin. In 897 BC, under the regency of Gonghe, the area became a dependency allotted for the purpose of raising and breeding horses.[[|1]] One of Feizi's descendants, Duke Zhuang, became favoured by King Ping of Zhou, the thirteenth king in that line. As a reward, Zhuang's son, Duke Xiang, was sent eastward as the leader of a war expedition, during which he formally established the Qin.[[|2]] Qin state first sent a military expedition into central China in 672 BC, though it did not engage in any serious incursions due to the threat from neighbouring tribesmen. By the dawn of the fourth century BC, however, the neighbouring tribes had all been either subdued or conquered, and the stage was set for the rise of Qin expansionism.[[|3]] edit] Growth of poweredit] Growth of power section|Edit]] Lord Shang Yang, a Qin statesman, introduced a number of militarily advantageous reforms from 361 BC until his death in 338 BC, and also helped construct the Qin capital, Xianyang. This latter accomplishment commenced in the mid-fourth century BC; the resulting city greatly resembled the capitals of other Warring States.[[|4]] [[]]EnlargeMarble bust of statesman Shang YangOf Shang Yang's reforms, the most notable one was advocating the philosophy of Legalism, which encouraged practical and ruthless warfare.[[|5]] In contrast, during the Zhou Dynasty and the ensuing Warring States Period, the prevalent philosophy had dictated war as a gentleman's activity; military commanders were instructed to respect what they perceived to be Heaven's laws in battle.[[|6]] For example, during the Warring States Period, Duke Xiang of Song[[|3]] was at war with the state of Chu, and had an opportunity to attack the enemy force, commanded by Zhu, while they were crossing a river. Instead, however, he waited for them to finish crossing, and allowed them to marshal their forces. He was decisively defeated in the ensuing battle, and when, later, his advisors admonished him for such excessive courtesy to the enemy, he retorted, "The sage does not crush the feeble, nor give the order for attack until the enemy have formed their ranks."[[|6]] The Qin disregarded this military tradition, taking advantage of their enemy's weaknesses. A nobleman in the state of Wei accused the Qin state of being "avaricious, perverse, eager for profit, and without sincerity. It knows nothing about etiquette, proper relationships, and virtuous conduct, and if there be an opportunity for material gain, it will disregard its relatives as if they were animals."[[|7]] It was this Legalist thought combined with strong leadership from long-lived rulers, openness to employ talented men from other states, and little internal opposition that gave the Qin such a strong political base.[[|8]] [[]]EnlargeMap of the Warring States. Qin is shown in pinkAnother advantage of the Qin was that they had a large, efficient army[[|4]] and capable generals. They utilised the newest developments in weaponry and transportation as well, which many of their enemies lacked. These latter developments allowed greater mobility over several different terrain types[[|5]] which were most common in many regions of China. Thus, in both ideology and practice, the Qin were militarily superior.[[|5]] Finally, the Qin empire had a geographical advantage due to its fertility and strategic situation, protected by mountains that made the state a natural stronghold.[[|6]] Its expanded agricultural output helped sustain Qin's large army with food and natural resources;[[|8]] the Wei River canal built in 246 BC was particularly significant in this respect.[[|9]] edit] Conquest of other statesedit] Conquest of other states section|Edit]] Main article: Qin's wars of unificationDuring the Warring States Period preceding the Qin Dynasty, the major states vying for dominance were Yan, Zhao, Qi, Chu, Han, Wei and Qin. The rulers of these states styled themselves as kings, rather than using the titles of lower nobility they had previously held. However, none elevated himself to believe that he had the "Mandate of Heaven," as the Zhou emperors had claimed, nor that he had the right to offer sacrifices—they left this to the Zhou rulers.[[|10]] [[]]EnlargeA Chinese lacquerware box with the "Panyu" name on its surface, one piece of evidence that the Qin Dynasty governed the area of Guangzhou before the Nanyue Kingdom didBefore their conquest in the fourth and third centuries BC, the Qin suffered several setbacks. Shang Yang was executed in 338 BC due to a grudge by the leader King Wu over a student who had been executed because of Shang Yang's insistence that law applied even to nobility. There was also internal strife over the Qin succession in 307 BC, which decentralised Qin authority somewhat. Qin was defeated by an alliance of the other states in 295 BC, and shortly after suffered another defeat by the state of Zhao, because the majority of their army was then defending against the Qi. The aggressive statesman Fan Sui (范雎), however, soon came to power as prime minister even as the problem of the succession was resolved, and he began an expansionist policy that had originated in Jin and Qi, which prompted the Qin to attempt to conquer the other states.[[|11]] The Qin were swift in their assault on the other states. They first attacked the Han, directly east, and took the city of Yangdi in 230 BC. They then struck northward; the state of Zhao surrendered in 228 BC, and the northernmost state of Yan followed, falling in 226 BC. Next, Qin armies launched assaults to the east, and later the south as well; they took the Wei city of Daliang (now called Kaifeng) in 225 BC and forced the Chu to surrender by 223 BC. Lastly, they deposed the Zhou Dynasty's remnants in Luoyang and conquered the Qi, taking the city of Linzi in 221 BC.[[|11]] edit] Dominion of Chinaedit] Dominion of China section|Edit]] See also: Qin's campaign against the southern tribes and Qin's campaign against the Xiongnu[[]]EnlargeMarble statue of Qin Shihuang located near his burial placeWhen the conquests were complete in 221 BC, King Zheng[[|7]] – who had first assumed the throne of the Qin state at age 13[[|12]] – became the effective ruler of China. He solidified his position as sole ruler with the abdication of his prime minister, Lü Buwei. He then combined the titles of the earlier Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors into his new name: Shi Huangdi (始皇帝) or "First Emperor".[[|13]][[|8]] The newly declared emperor ordered all weapons not in the possession of the Qin to be confiscated and melted down. The resulting metal was sufficient to build twelve large ornamental statues at the Qin's newly declared capital, Xianyang.[[|14]] In 214 BC Qin Shihuang secured his boundaries to the north with a fraction (100,000 men) of his large army, and sent the majority (500,000 men) of his army south to conquer the territory of the southern tribes. Prior to the events leading to Qin dominance over China, they had gained possession of much of Sichuan to the southwest. The Qin army was unfamiliar with the jungle terrain, and it was defeated by the southern tribes' guerrilla warfare tactics with over 100,000 men lost. However, in the defeat Qin was successful in building a canal to the south, which they used heavily for supplying and reinforcing their troops during their second attack to the south. Building on these gains, the Qin armies conquered the coastal lands surrounding Guangzhou,[[|9]] and took the provinces of Fuzhou and Guilin. They struck as far south as Hanoi. After these victories in the south, Qin Shihuang moved over 100,000 prisoners and exiles to colonize the newly conquered area. In terms of extending the boundaries of his empire, the First Emperor was extremely successful in the south.[[|14]] However, while the empire at times was extended to the north, the Qin could rarely hold on to the land for long. The tribes of these locations, collectively called the Hu by the Qin, were free from Chinese rule during the majority of the Dynasty.[[|15]] Prohibited from trading with Qin Dynasty peasants, the Xiongnu tribe living in the Ordos region in northwest China often raided them instead, prompting the Qin to retaliate. After a military campaign led by General Meng Tian, the region was conquered in 215 BC and agriculture was established; the peasants, however, were discontented and later revolted. The succeeding Han Dynasty also expanded into the Ordos due to overpopulation, but depleted their resources in the process. Owen Lattimore said of both Dynasties' attempts to conquer the Ordos, "conquest and expansion were illusory. There was no kind of success that did not create its own reaction."[[|16]] Indeed, this was true of the dynasty's borders in multiple directions; modern Xinjiang, Tibet, Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, and regions to the southeast were foreign to the Qin, and even areas over which they had military control were culturally distinct.[[|17]] edit] Fall from poweredit] Fall from power section|Edit]] [[]]EnlargeAn edict in bronze from the reign of the Second Qin EmperorThree assassination attempts were made on Qin Shihuang's life,[[|18]] leading him to become paranoid and obsessed with immortality. He died in 210 BC, while on a trip to the far eastern reaches of his empire in an attempt to procure an elixir of immortality from Taoist magicians, who claimed the elixir was stuck on an island guarded by a sea monster. The chief eunuch, Zhao Gao, and the prime minister, Li Si, hid the news of his death upon their return until they were able to alter his will to place on the throne the dead emperor's most pliable son, Huhai, who took the name of Qin Er Shi.[[|12]] They believed that they would be able to manipulate him to their own ends, and thus effectively control the empire. Qin Er Shi was, indeed, inept and pliable. He executed many ministers and imperial princes, continued massive building projects (one of his most extravagant projects was lacquering the city walls), enlarged the army, increased taxes, and arrested messengers who brought him bad news. As a result, men from all over China revolted, attacking officials, raising armies, and declaring themselves kings of seized territories.[[|19]] During this time, Li Si and Zhao Gao fell out among themselves, and Li Si was executed. Zhao Gao decided to force Qin Er Shi to commit suicide due to Qin Er Shi's incompetence. Upon this, Ziying, a nephew of Qin Er Shi, ascended the throne, and immediately executed Zhao Gao.[[|19]] Ziying, seeing that increasing unrest was growing among the people[[|10]] and that many local officials had declared themselves kings, attempted to cling to his throne by declaring himself one king among all the others.[[|9]] He was undermined by his ineptitude, however, and popular revolt broke out in 209 BC. When Chu rebels under the lieutenant Liu Bang attacked, a state in such turmoil could not hold for long. Ziying was defeated near the Wei River in 207 BC and surrendered shortly after; he was executed by the Chu leader Xiang Yu. The Qin capital was destroyed the next year, and this is considered by Derk Bodde, as well as other historians, to be the end of the Qin empire.[[|20]][[|1]] Liu Bang then betrayed and defeated Xiang Yu, declaring himself Emperor Gaozu[[|11]] of the new Han Dynasty.[[|21]] Despite the short duration of the Qin Dynasty, it was very influential on the structure of future dynasties. edit] Culture and societyedit] Culture and society section|Edit]] edit] Domestic lifeedit] Domestic life section|Edit]] The aristocracy of the Qin were largely similar in their culture and daily life. Regional variations in culture were considered a symbol of the lower classes. This stemmed from the Zhou and was seized upon by the Qin, as such variations were seen as contrary to the unification that the government strove to achieve.[[|22]] Commoners and rural villagers, who made up over 90% of the population,[[|23]] very rarely left the villages or farmsteads where they were born. Common forms of employment differed by region, though farming was almost universally common. Professions were hereditary; a father's employment was passed to his eldest son after he died.[[|24]] The Lüshi Chunqiu[[|12]] gave examples of how, when commoners are obsessed with material wealth, instead of the idealism of a man who "makes things serve him", they were "reduced to the service of things".[[|25]] Peasants were rarely figured in literature during the Qin Dynasty and afterwards; scholars and others of more elite status preferred the excitement of cities and the lure of politics. One notable exception to this was Shen Nong, the so-called "Divine Father", who taught that households should grow their own food. "If in one's prime he does not plow, someone in the world will grow hungry. If in one's prime she does not weave, someone in the world will be cold." The Qin encouraged this; a ritual was performed once every few years that consisted of important government officials taking turns with the plow on a special field, to create a simulation of government interest and activity within agriculture.[[|24]] edit] Architectureedit] Architecture section|Edit]] Warring States-era architecture had several definitive aspects. City walls, used for defense, were made longer, and indeed several secondary walls were also sometimes built to separate the different districts. Verticality in federal structures was emphasised, to create a sense of authority and absolute power. Architectural elements such as high towers, pillar gates, terraces, and high buildings amply conveyed this.[[|26]] edit] Philosophy and literatureedit] Philosophy and literature section|Edit]] The written language of the Qin was logographic, as that of the Zhou had been.[[|27]] As one of his most influential achievements in life, prime minister Li Si standardized the writing system to be of uniform size and shape across the whole country. This would have a unification effect on the Chinese culture for thousands of years. He is also credited with creating the "lesser-seal" (Chinese: 小篆, Pinyin: xiǎozhuàn) style of calligraphy, which serves as a basis for modern Chinese and is still used in cards, posters, and advertising.[[|28]] During the Warring States Period, the Hundred Schools of Thought comprised many different philosophies proposed by Chinese scholars. In 221 BC, however, the First Emperor conquered all of the states and governed with a single philosophy, Legalism. At least one school of thought, Mohism, was eradicated, though the reason is not known. Despite the Qin's state ideology and Mohism being similar in certain regards, it is possible that Mohists were sought and killed by the state's armies due to paramilitary activities.[[|29]] Confucius's school of thought, called Confucianism, was also influential during the Warring States Period, as well as throughout much of the later Zhou Dynasty and early imperial periods.[[|13]] This school of thought had a so-called Confucian canon of literature, known as the "six classics": the Odes, Documents, Ritual, Music, Spring and Autumn Annals, and Changes, which embodied Chinese literature at the time.[[|30]] During the Qin Dynasty, Confucianism—along with all other non-Legalist philosophies—was suppressed by the First Emperor; early Han Dynasty emperors did the same. Legalism denounced the feudal system and encouraged severe punishments, particularly when the emperor was disobeyed. Individuals' rights were devalued when they conflicted with the government's or the ruler's wishes, and merchants and scholars were considered unproductive, fit for elimination.[[|31]] One of the more drastic measures employed to accomplish the eradication of the old schools of thought was the infamous burning of books and burying of scholars incident, which almost singlehandedly gave the Qin Dynasty a bad reputation among later scholars.[[|14]] The First Emperor, in an attempt to consolidate power, ordered the burning of all books on non-Legalist philosophical viewpoints and intellectual subjects.[[|32]] This decree was passed in 213 BC, and also stipulated that all scholars who refused to submit their books to be burned would be executed by premature burial.[[|14]] Only texts considered productive by Legalists were preserved, most on pragmatic subjects, such as agriculture, divination, and medicine.[[|32]] However, controversy remains about the “burning of books and burying of scholars”. Nowadays, many Sinologists argue that the “burying of scholars”, as recorded in Grand Historian, is not literally true, as the term probably meant simply "put to death."[[|33]] edit] Government and militaryedit] Government and military section|Edit]] [[]]EnlargeQin Dynasty composite bow arrows (top) and crossbow bolts (bottom) Credit: Liang Jieming''The Qin government was highly bureaucratic, and was administered by a hierarchy of officials, all serving the First Emperor. The Qin put into practice the teachings of Han Fei, allowing the First Emperor to control all of his territories, including those recently conquered. All aspects of life were standardized, from measurements and language to more practical details, such as the length of chariot axles.[[|13]] Zheng and his advisers also introduced new laws and practices that ended feudalism in China, replacing it with a centralized, bureaucratic government. Under this system, both the military and government thrived, as talented individuals could be more easily identified in the transformed society. Later Chinese dynasties emulated the Qin government for its efficiency, despite its being condemned by Confucian philosophy.[[|13]][[|34]] Such a system, however, could be manipulated by power-hungry individuals; one example of such an occurrence was documented in the "Records of Officialdom". A commander named Hu ordered his men to attack peasants, in an attempt to increase the number of "bandits" he had killed; his superiors, likely eager to inflate their records as well, allowed this.[[|35]] Qin Shihuang also improved the military, despite the fact that it had already undergone extensive reforms.[[|36]] The military used the most advanced weaponry of the time. The invention of the sword during the Warring States Period was a great advance. It was first used mostly in bronze form, but by the third century BC, the Qin were using stronger iron swords. The demand for metal this produced resulted in improved bellows. The crossbow had been introduced in the fifth century BC and was more powerful and accurate than the composite bows used earlier. It could also be rendered ineffective by removing two pins, which prevented enemies from capturing a working crossbow.[[|6]] [[]]EnlargeThe Terracotta army.The Qin also used improved methods of transportation and tactics. The state of Zhao had first replaced chariots with cavalry in 307 BC, but the change was swiftly adopted by the other states because cavalry had greater mobility over the terrain of China.[[|37]] The First Emperor developed plans to fortify his northern border, to protect against the nomadic Mongols. The result was the initial construction of what later became the Great Wall of China,which was built by joining and strengthening the walls made by the feudal lords, which would be expanded and rebuilt multiple times by later dynasties, also in response to threats from the north. Another project built during Qin Shihuang's rule was the Terracotta army, intended to protect the emperor after his death.[[|36]] The Terracotta army was inconspicuous due to its underground location, and was not discovered until 1974.[[|38]] edit] Religionedit] Religion section|Edit]] Floating on high in every direction, Music fills the hall and court. The incense sticks are a forest of feathers, The cloudy scene an obscure darkness. Metal stalks with elegant blossoms, A host of flags and kingfisher banners. The music of the "Seven Origins" and "Blossoming Origins" Are intoned as harmonious sounds. Thus one can almost hear The spirits coming to feast and frolic. The spirits are seen off to the ''zhu zhu of the musics, Which purifies and refines human feelings. Suddenly the spirits ride off on the darkness, And the brilliant event finishes. Purified thoughts grow hidden and still, And the warp and weft of the world fall dark. Han shu, p. 1046The dominant religious belief in China during the reign of the Qin, and, in fact, during much of early imperial China, was focused on the shen (roughly translating to "spirits"), yin ("shadows"), and the realm they were said to live in. The Chinese offered sacrifices[[|14]] in an attempt to contact this other world, which they believed to be parallel to the earthly one. The dead were said to simply have moved from one world to the other. The rituals mentioned, as well as others, served two purposes: to ensure that the dead journeyed and stayed in the other realm, and to receive blessings from the spirit realm.[[|15]][[|39]][[|40]] Religious practices were usually held in local shrines and sacred areas, which contained sacrificial altars. During a sacrifice or other ritual, the senses of all participants and witnesses would be dulled and blurred with smoke, incense, and music. The lead sacrificer would fast and meditate before a sacrifice to further blur his senses and increase the likelihood of perceiving otherworldly phenomena. Other participants were similarly prepared, though not as rigorously. Such blurring of the senses was also a factor in the practice of spirit intermediaries, or mediumship. Practitioners of the art would fall into trances or dance to perform supernatural tasks. These people would often rise to power as a result of their art—Luan Da, a Han Dynasty medium, was granted rule over 2,000 households. Noted Han historian Sima Qian was scornful of such practices, dismissing them as foolish trickery.[[|41]] Divination—to predict and/or influence the future—was yet another form of religious practice. An ancient practice that was common during the Qin Dynasty, was cracking bones or turtle shells to gain knowledge of the future. The forms of divination which sprang up during early imperial China were diverse, though observing natural phenomena was a common method. Comets, eclipses, and droughts were considered omens of things to come.[[|42]] edit] Etymology of Chinaedit] Etymology of China section|Edit]] The name 'Qin' (pronounced as 'Chin') is believed to be the etymological ancestor of the modern day European name of the country, China. The word probably made its way into the Indo-Aryan languages first as 'Cina' or 'Sina' and then into Greek and Latin as 'Sinai' or 'Thinai'. It was then transliterated into English and French as 'China' and 'Chine'. This etymology is although dismissed by some scholars suggesting that 'Sina' in Sanskrit evolved much earlier before the Qin dynasty. 'Jin' (pronounced as 'Zhin'), a state controlled by the Zhou Dynasty in seventh century BC, is another possible origin. When the Han Dynasty was consumed with war following the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Biao held the title of governor of Jing Province. Liu Biao later started a war against the warlord Yuan Shu and his minor warlord vassal, Sun Jian. During the Battle of Xiangyang Sun Jian was put in command of an army on Yuan Shu's orders to assault Liu Biao in Jing Province. Liu Biao appointed Huang Zu to command the forces against Sun Jian. During the battle, one of Liu Biao's strategists, Kuai Liang, devised a plan to eliminate Sun Jian by crushing him with logs as he rode towards the main camp of Liu Biao's camp[citation needed], and succeeded. Years after, Sun Jian's two eldest sons, Sun Ce and Sun Quan, caused Liu Biao no end of trouble as they sought to avenge their father's death. However, they did not cause Liu Biao's demise as they targeted Huang Zu, who was a general under Liu Biao, instead of Liu Biao himself. Whilst Cao Cao (in the north) was gaining strength, Liu Biao chose to neither help nor hinder his conquests, in part because he had been dealt a defeat against the forces of Sun Ce at the Battle of Shaxian. During the birth of the third century, during Cao Cao's total victory over the rival warlord Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, Liu Biao still remained neutral, despite being one of the only other warlords in a position to oppose the two powers. Liu Biao, however, eventually decided to shelter Liu Bei, an enemy of Cao Cao and relative in deep lineage when Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao, where Liu Bei was previous sheltered after the events of 198. This made Liu Biao a target of Cao Cao's wrath due to the fact Liu Bei "rebelled" against Cao just before the war against Yuan Shao. After the Battle of White Wolf Mountain in 208, when Cao Cao finalized his unification of northern China, a large army was sent to conquer Jing Province. Along with Liu Bei, Liu Biao's forces took several early victories. After impressing the remnants of Yuan Shao's forces into joining his already grand army, Cao Cao's superior numbers eventually took toll on Liu Biao's defenses. With a decline in relations between Liu Biao and Liu Bei, as a result of the meddling of Cai Mao's family, Liu Biao's people were faced with difficulty. To make matters worse, Sun Quan's army had crushed and killed Liu Biao's subordinate Huang Zu at the Battle of Xiakou and ultimately destroyed Liu Biao's defenses to the south. Shortly after Cao Cao's main army began its offensive, Liu Biao died of illness. According to the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, long before his death, sensing his own deteriorating condition, he had discussed with Liu Bei which of his two sons should succeed him. The traditional choice would be his elder son Liu Qi, yet he predicted (correctly) that his wife would favor Liu Cong, his second son. Ultimately, he followed Liu Bei's advice and chose Liu Qi to succeed him. However, after Liu Biao's death, his wife altered his will, leaving Liu Cong with possession of much of Liu Biao's land. The weak Liu Cong immediately surrendered to Cao Cao and his elder brother, who had still retained control of one city. Due to its strategic positioning between all three warring factions during the Three Kingdoms era, many battles were fought in Jing Province over the course of the various campaigns and battles fought between the states of Shu, Wei and Wu in years to come. Liu Biao Family Section *Sons: **Liu Qi, oldest son. Sided with Liu Bei after his brother was appointed as successor, but died of illness. **Liu Cong, second son. Was appointed as his father's successor due to the interference of Cai Mao and Lady Cai. *Nephews: **Liu Pan, sent on a campaign against the rival warlord Sun Ce, but was defeated by Taishi Ci who was employed under Sun Ce's forces. Later joined Liu Bei at the recommendation of Huang Zhong.. **Liu Hu, defended against Sun Ce during the Battle of Shaxian, but was defeated. His fate remains unknown, but many of Liu Biao's officers who participated in that battle were slain. (possibly making it difficult to resolve how each individual died) Sovereigns of Qin DynastySovereigns of Qin Dynasty sect When the Han Dynasty became consumed with war after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Biao fought a war against the warlord Sun Jian. One of Liu Biao's strategists, Kuai Liang, devised a plan to eliminate Sun Jian by crushing him with logs as he rode towards the main camp of Liu Biao, and succeeded. Later, Sun Jian's two eldest sons, Sun Ce and Sun Quan, caused Liu Biao no end of trouble as they sought to avenge their father's death. However, they did not cause Liu Biao's demise. Whilst Cao Cao (in the north) was gaining strength, Liu Biao chose to neither help nor hinder his conquests, in part because he had been dealt a defeat the hands of Sun Ce at the Battle of Shaxian. Later, during Cao Cao's decisive victory at the Battle of Guandu against Yuan Shao (203- 207), Liu Biao remained neutral, despite being one of the only other warlords in a position to oppose the two powers. Liu Biao, however, eventually decided to shelter Liu Bei, an enemy of Cao Cao. This made him a target of Cao Cao's wrath. Later, after Cao Cao's unification of northern China, a large army was sent to conquer Jing Province. Along with Liu Bei, Liu Biao's forces took several early victories. After impressing the remnants of Yuan Shao's forces into his already grand army, however, Cao Cao's superior numbers eventually took toll on Liu Biao's defenses. With a decline in relations between Liu Biao and Liu Bei, as a result of the meddling of Cai Mao's family, Liu Biao's people were faced with difficulty. To make matters worse, Sun Quan's army had crushed Liu Biao's subordinate Huang Zu at the Battle of Xiakou. The Shi Huangdi army is a coalition of supernatural beings introduced in Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2. Though divided into three different factions, they all align with Shi Huangdi who seeks to rebuild his empire by ravaging the land. The game prominently features them as the opposing side in each chapter. Story Upon his revival, Shi Huangdi sought to topple the Three Kingdoms and create a new era solely for himself. To accomplish this, he created a sizeable army out of the terracotta troops once built within his tomb. He also used his powers to resurrect Xiang Yu and the deceased heroes of the Qin Dynasty. As if all this wasn't enough, Shi Huangdi saw fit to unleash various mythical beasts into the human realm with the assistance of Huang Quan. With a plethora of otherworldly beings under his command, the newly-revived emperor wrought havoc to the land and showed no mercy to those who stood in his path to conquest. At first, the Shi Huangdi army reigned supreme by taking over most of the territorial regions owned by Wei and Shu. Eventually, however, the heroes of the Three Kingdoms were able to gain the upper hand by defeating the two separate factions led by Xiang Yu and Huang Quan. Shi Huangdi attempted to recoup his losses by striking back only to be repelled through each encounter. In the end, he and his army were destroyed thanks to the efforts of the allied forces. Xiang Yu Faction Led by Xiang Yu, this faction mostly consists of generals who fought alongside the Hegemon-King during their lifetime. Aside from their direct and aggressive approach in battle, they also make liberal use of siege engines and other heavy machinery enchanted by magic. This group is represented by the color red. The Shi Huangdi army is a coalition of supernatural beings introduced in Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2. Though divided into three different factions, they all align with Shi Huangdi who seeks to rebuild his empire by ravaging the land. The game prominently features them as the opposing side in each chapter. StoryEdit Upon his revival, Shi Huangdi sought to topple the Three Kingdoms and create a new era solely for himself. To accomplish this, he created a sizeable army out of the terracotta troops once built within his tomb. He also used his powers to resurrect Xiang Yu and the deceased heroes of the Qin Dynasty. As if all this wasn't enough, Shi Huangdi saw fit to unleash various mythical beasts into the human realm with the assistance of Huang Quan. With a plethora of otherworldly beings under his command, the newly-revived emperor wrought havoc to the land and showed no mercy to those who stood in his path to conquest. At first, the Shi Huangdi army reigned supreme by taking over most of the territorial regions owned by Wei and Shu. Eventually, however, the heroes of the Three Kingdoms were able to gain the upper hand by defeating the two separate factions led by Xiang Yu and Huang Quan. Shi Huangdi attempted to recoup his losses by striking back only to be repelled through each encounter. In the end, he and his army were destroyed thanks to the efforts of the allied forces. Xiang Yu FactionEdit Led by Xiang Yu, this faction mostly consists of generals who fought alongside the Hegemon-King during their lifetime. Aside from their direct and aggressive approach in battle, they also make liberal use of siege engines and other heavy machinery enchanted by magic. This group is represented by the color red. LeadersEdit *Xiang Yu *Beauty Yu StrategistsEdit *Chen Xi (陳豨) *Fan Zeng (范増) *Tian Heng (田横) *Xiang Tuo (項它) *Zhang Er (張耳) TacticiansEdit *Cao Jiu (曹咎) *Chen Sheng (陳勝) *Li Zuoche (李左車) *Su Jiao (蘇角) *Wang Huang (王黄) *Yu Ying (于英) *Zhao Xie (趙歇) *Zhou Shi (周市) GeneralsEdit *Chen Ying (陳嬰) *Deng Yue (鄧説) *Han Cheng (韓成) *Han Xin (韓信) *Long Ju (龍且) *Wang Li (王離) *Wei Bao (魏豹) *Xiang Zhuang (項荘) *Zhongli Mo (鐘離昧) Large WarriorsEdit *Peng Yue (彭越) *Tian Dan (田儋) *Tian Xi (田吸) *Wu Chen (武臣) *Zheng Chang (鄭昌) *Zhou Lan (周蘭) WarriorsEdit *Chen Yu (陳余) *Cheng Chu (程処) *Ge Ying (葛嬰) *Han Guang (韓広) *Shen Yang (申陽) *Tian Guang (田広) *Wang Wu (王武) *Xiang Bo (項伯) Huang Quan FactionEdit The faction led by Huang Quan is comprised of numerous past figures from the Qin Dynasty as well as those from the underworld. Filled to the brim with various monsters and demi-humans, this group is sufficiently armed with physical might combined with sorcery. All of them are decked in the color purple. LeadersEdit *Huang Quan *King Mu StrategistsEdit *Cai Ci (蔡賜) *Li Si (李斯) *Wei Jiu (魏咎) *Yang Xiong (楊熊) *Zhao Gao (趙高) TacticiansEdit *Huo Quji (霍去疾) *Lu Wan (盧綰) *Sima Xin (司馬欣) *Song Yi (宋義) *Xin of Han (韓王信) *Zong Liu (宗留) GeneralsEdit *Dong Yi (董翳) *Huan Yi (桓齮) *Ji Bu (季布) *Tian Zang (田臧) *Wu Guang (呉広) Large WarriorsEdit *Deng Zong (鄧宗) *Feng Jie (馮劫) *Gong Ao (共敖) *Meng Wu (蒙武) *Wu Rui (呉芮) *Ying Bu (黥布) *Zhou Yin (周殷) WarriorsEdit *Cao Wushang (曹無傷) *Li Gui (李帰) *Wu Xu (伍徐) *Yang Duanhe (楊端和) *Zhang He (張賀) *Zhang Ping (章平) *Zhao Bi (趙賁) Shi Huangdi FactionEdit The core of Shi Huangdi's army, this faction contains many famous officers and advisors who once served their tyrannical emperor in the past. They work closely with the other factions throughout the story. Although this group is symbolized by black, the colors worn by their generals are actually yellow. LeaderEdit *Shi Huangdi AdministratorsEdit *Huhai (胡亥) *Ziying (子嬰) StrategistsEdit *Chen Hui (陳恢) *Guo Kai (郭開) *Jia of Wei (魏王假) *Lord Changping (昌平君) *Lu Yi (呂齮) *Xu Fu (徐福) TacticiansEdit *An of Han (韓王安) *Fuchu (負芻) *Fusu (扶蘇) *Li Mu (李牧) *Shi Cheng (始成) GeneralsEdit *Neshi Teng (内史騰) *Wang Jian (王翦) *Xi of Yan (燕王喜) *Zhang Han (章邯) Large WarriorsEdit *Meng Tian (蒙恬) *Wang Bi (王賁) *Yan Ju (顔聚) *Zhao Qian (趙遷) WarriorsEdit *Dan of Yan (太子丹) *Jian of Qi (斉王建) *Li Xin (李信) *Qiang Hui (羌瘣) *Sima Shang (司馬尚) Category:Organizations